Biography of Gae Aulenti

Gaetana 'Gae' Aulenti is one of the most important architects and designers of the 20th century. Aulenti achieved international fame with the design of the Centre Georges Pompidou Museum of Modern Art in Paris, France, the offices of Christian Dior, the Venetian Palazzo Grassi and the conversion of the Palacio Nacional de Montjuic in Barcelona, Spain, into the Museum Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Almost as a sideline, the multi-talented Aulenti designed lights and furniture - today genuine design classics. Despite her variety of designs and her creative drive, Aulenti is rather unknown to the general public. TAGWERC is bringing the gifted, but for most people unknown, Gae Aulenti back onto the 21st century design stage and giving the Italian and her designs such as Pipistrello and Ruspa by Martinelli Luce or Minibox and Trepiù by Stilnovo the attention they deserve.

Gae Aulenti, Beginnings and training

Gaetana, called Gae, Aulenti was born on December 4, 1927 in Palazzolo dello Stella, one of 134 municipalities in the province of Udine, in north-eastern Italy and close to the Adriatic Sea. She was 13 years old when Italy entered the Second World War on June 10, 1940, initially on the side of Germany. After the Second World War, Aulenti began studying architecture at the Milan Polytechnic, which she completed in 1954 with a doctorate. Gae Aulenti took what most women of her time were denied: an academic education. Knowing full well that she would need this in order to survive in a male profession such as architecture in the 1950s and 1960s. In 2012, Aulenti told the newspaper 'Corriere della Sera': "Architecture is a man's profession, but I never paid attention to that."

Gae Aulenti, the graphic designer

The tomboyish Aulenti plunged into the male-dominated world of work, especially in Catholic Italy. From 1955 to 1965, Gae Aulenti was responsible for the layout and the reorganization of the magazine "Casabella"; today, her role at Casabella magazine would probably be described as art director. Casabella, an Italian trade journal on architecture and ambitious product design, was published by the architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers during Aulenti's time. The publication was initially discontinued in 1965 and then continued from 1970 to the present day.

Gae Aulenti, the professor

Parallel to her work at Casabella, Aulenti taught from 1960 to 1962 under Giuseppe Samonà (1898-1983), director of the University Institute of Architecture in Venice from 1945 to 1972. Gae Aulenti is a member of the 'Neo-Liberty' movement, the Italian answer to the 'Art Nouveau' era. The Neo-Liberty style, mainly present in architectural designs and buildings, can also be found in several of Aulenti's designs. In 1964, the architect with the short haircut returned to the Polytechnic - but this time not as a student. She taught here as a lecturer and professor until 1969.

Gae Aulenti, the designer

At the same time, Aulenti worked as a freelance architect and designer. In 1965, the legendary luminaire Pipistrello was created, which was produced under license by Martinelli Luce and is available from TAGWERC. The same applies to the light series Ruspa from 1968, followed by the Trepiù (1972) and Minibox (1981) series of luminaires. Both Trepiù and Minibox were created in collaboration with the architect and son of Piero Castiglioni. Designer Piero Castiglioni, son of Livio Castiglioni and nephew of Archille Castiglioni. Both lighting series have been manufactured by Stilnovo since their creation and are available from TAGWERC. Aulenti's designs are part of the collections of the most important design museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

Gae Aulenti, the interior designer

Gae Aulentis is not only successful as a designer, but also as an architect. In addition to residential buildings, Aulenti plans schools and even designs gardens. Aulenti received international attention and recognition when she transformed the Gare d'Orsay train station in Paris into the Musée d'Orsay from 1980 to 1986. At the same time, she redesigned the interior of the Centre Pompidou, also in Paris, from 1982 to 1985. This was followed in 1988 by the renovation of the Catalan Museum in Barcelona. Aulenti made a name for herself as a specialist in the modernization of historical buildings. Aulenti is also known as a designer of showrooms and business premises. As such, she works for companies such as Christian Dior, Olivetti and Knoll. Gae Aulenti designs stage sets and scenery for theater director Luca Ronconi, including for La Scala in Milan

Gae Aulenti, the pioneer

Throughout her life, Gae Aulenti has asserted herself in the male-dominated world of architecture and design. In addition to her special flair for historical buildings, which she modernized with great sensitivity and inventiveness, it was above all her design drafts that reduced Aulenti's design language to small design objects and made it possible for design lovers and design connoisseurs to experience it within their own four walls. On October 31, 2012, Gae Aulenti closed her eyes forever in her favorite city of Milan and left us her unique legacy. Aulenti was not only fierce and assertive in professional terms. Her daughter Giovanna told the newspaper 'La Repubblica' after Aulenti's death: "My mother had been ill for a long time, but she fought it as best she could."